The invention relates to fluid treatment devices and particularly to those which are adapted for treating articles such as substrates or the like as the articles pass through the device. Even more particularly, the invention is related to such devices wherein vibrational, e.g., ultrasonic, energy is imparted as a means for enhancing the treatment process performed by the device.
There are several known devices designed for the treatment of substrates (e.g., those used as base elements for such electronic components as ceramic modules, printed circuit boards, etc.) and the like. Examples are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,142,010 (Pipkin et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,152,153 (Jackson et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,186 (Pipkin et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,387,124 (Pipkin) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,133 (Wohrle). See also International Business Machines (IBM) Corporation Technical Disclosure Bulletin (TDB) Vol. 23, No. 4 (September 1980) at pages 1362 and 1363. More recent examples are defined in U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,951 (Bard et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,639 (Bard et al.), both assigned to the assignee of the present invention. With particular regard to U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,639, a fluid jet injector member is defined which includes strategically positioned apertures (jet injectors) for directing fluid jets onto a designated substrate. It will be understood from the following that the injector members taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,639 may be used in the present invention. U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,639 is thereby incorporated herein by reference.
In addition to the above, there are known such fluid treatment devices wherein ultrasonic energy is utilized, e.g., to enhance the treatment process. Examples are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,285 (Irwin et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,849,769 (Dressier), U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,994 (Dussault et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,208 (Dussault), U.S. Pat. No. 5,148,823 (Bran) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,798 (Watanabe et al.). Ultrasonic vibration is also described in IBM TDB Vol. 27, No. 11 (April, 1985), page 6395 (wave soldering), and in the following published Japanese documents: (1) JA 0044927 (February 1991), Appl. No. 64-181025 (semiconductor substrate cleaning); and (2) JP 404206636 (July 1992), Appl. No. 2-330177 (semiconductor device cleaning). In such devices, the ultrasonic source (e.g., transducer) has typically been secured to (and thus operatively connected to) the fluid container to cause vibration thereof or has been immersed in a container of substantially stationary fluid.
By the term treatment (or treating) of substrates as used herein is meant to include functions such as coating, cleaning, chemical reaction, as well as others such as plating. One particular use of the invention is to facilitate dye or the like chemical penetration into cracks or other imperfections as might occur in relatively delicate articles such as ceramic substrates. The invention is adaptable to a wide variety of diverse processes and is not limited to the above, however. The term fluid as used herein is meant to include liquids, and is of course not limited to dyes.
As defined herein, the invention involves the use of fluid which flows across the substrate (e.g., ceramic base members) at predetermined rates as the substrate moves through the invention at a relatively high rate of travel. Significantly, the invention is able to incorporate the use of vibrational energy (e.g., ultrasonic) to particularly direct this energy onto the moving fluid at a relatively precise location on the substrate to enhance treatment thereof. As stated, one example of such treatment may involve the penetration of the ceramic by dye material to indicate the presence of imperfections (e.g., cracks) in the surface""s thereof. Clearly, however, the invention is readily adaptable for use in several other processes involving moving fluids and associated substrates. Significantly, the invention provides such enhanced treatment utilizing a partly submerged vibrational structure (e.g., ultrasonic horn) that is not physically connected to the invention""s housing but instead substantially only exposed to the moving fluid. The invention thus does not require (or desire) housing vibration.
It is believed that a fluid treatment device and method having the advantageous features cited herein and otherwise discernible from the instant teachings would represent a significant advancement in the art.
It is a primary object of the invention to enhance the art of treating articles with fluids.
It is another object of the invention to provide a fluid treatment device of relatively simple and inexpensive construction which can be operated in a facile manner.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide such a device and process which are both readily adaptable to mass production.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a fluid treatment device comprising a housing defining at least one chamber therein, means for providing a fluid to the chamber of the housing such that the fluid will move through the chamber and be maintained within the chamber at an established level, means for moving a substrate through the chamber of the housing such that the substrate will be exposed to the fluid moving within the chamber for a predetermined time period, and means for providing vibrational energy to the fluid moving within the chamber to enhance the treatment of the substrate by the fluid. The means for providing vibrational energy is adapted for being partly submerged within the fluid within the chamber and also for being located relative to the substrate as the substrate moves through the chamber, the means for providing vibrational energy not being in physical contact with the housing.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of treating a substrate with fluid. The method comprises the steps of providing a housing defining a chamber therein, providing fluid to the chamber of the housing at a predetermined rate such that the fluid will move through the chamber and be maintained at an established level within the chamber, moving a substrate through the chamber of the housing at a preestablished rate such that the substrate will be exposed to the fluid moving within the chamber for a predetermined time period, and providing vibrational energy to the fluid moving within the chamber to enhance the treatment of the substrate by the fluid. The vibrational energy is provided by partly submerging the means for providing the vibrational energy within the fluid and activating the means while so partly submerged and while maintaining this means in a non-contacting relationship with the housing.